Steven Gerrard issues warning to Mikel Arteta after Arsenal draw with Nottingham Forest

Mikel Arteta claims Arsenal should have been awarded a ‘very clear penalty’ against Nottingham Forest (Getty)

Steven Gerrard has warned Mikel Arteta not to focus on the handball decision in Arsenal ’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in Saturday’s early kick-off handed Arsenal the chance to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League .

However, Arteta ’s side were unable to find a way past Forest and the draw has put the Gunners seven points in front of City and Villa, who play Everton on Sunday.

Arteta was unhappy after the game as he felt Arsenal should have been awarded a ‘very clear penalty’ when the ball hit Ola Aina’s arm inside Forest’s box.

‘They are right, it hits the shoulder and then he takes the ball with the hand. The explanation is not right, but the rest is okay,’ Arteta said.

‘The order is okay but the timing and intention of the player is very clear. If not I wouldn’t be sitting here saying it’s, in my opinion , a very clear penalty.’

Ola Aina was not punished after the ball hit his arm during Arsenal’s draw with Nottingham Forest (Shutterstock)

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However, Gerrard believes Arteta should not use the decision as an excuse to explain why Arsenal failed to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League.

‘I think there’s a shout there, I don’t think it’s as clear as Mikel Arteta is saying, I don’t think it’s blatant and clear, especially in real time from the referee’s point of view,’ Gerrard told TNT Sports .

‘I think you’ve got to be careful that you’re not clutching at straws a little bit because that’s not the reason why they haven’t got maximum points today.

‘The reason is because they were very wasteful in the first half and the keeper has made a world-class save.

‘I thought Arsenal’s performance was good today, they controlled large parts of the game, created enough chances to win the game.

‘But I think if the focus from an Arsenal point of view is just on that [handball] decision, I think they’re clutching at straws.

‘As I say, they’ve controlled large parts, it was a decent performance from Arsenal today, it just lacked that killer instinct.

‘I think it’s the Martinelli chance, the one that hits him on the heel, that’s a sidefoot pass into the far corner, I think nine times out of ten, most players at an Arsenal level, should be taking that chance, that should’ve been a goal. Then they maybe would have gone on to more things because Forest would have had to come out of a low block and be a bit more adventurous. While the game is 0-0, it allows Sean Dyche and his team to stay in and take the space away from Arsenal.’